3 ways to make politics less stressful

As the election approaches, here are some thoughts on how and why politics can make us feel anxious, and what we can do about it. 

I think the main reason we feel worried about politicians is because we can’t control them, or the future they outline. In political discourse, rather extreme views of the future can be raised, which only serves to exacerbate our worries about lack of control. Why can’t we stop these mad people, we feel. And naturally we feel anxious. 

The second, and related, reason for worry around politicians is about trust: we feel relaxed when we feel confident we can trust what people say and what they mean. But this rarely holds true for our political leaders. 

The third reason that anxiety around politics has worsened I think is because of the way we consume the news now, particularly digitally. Worries are ever present: it can be impossible to escape from the news - it is always available through your phone. This also makes it hard to have any perspective, to step back and take time to think about what we really feel: the news is constantly present, as is commentary and strong opinions of others which can make it hard to hear our own, or to work out what are facts and what are reactions to them, not to mention fake news. 

Finally, we can’t discuss politics without mentioning the ‘B’ word. Brexit is exhausting, as to date it’s been a stalemate. Both sides are struggling to develop a narrative of progress or achievement. A second factor is the discourtesy and entrenched opinions and lack of empathy for the views of others. 

So for all these reasons it can be easy to become overwhelmed and jaded with politics right now. What then makes for a sensible response?

I’ve outlined three other ways of thinking that have helped me feel more in control and exercise my own agency over how my mental health is affected by politics.

You choose

First and most importantly, we need to remind ourselves of our sense of agency: we bring ourselves to our consumption of the news. We also bring ourselves to our phones. We can use this challenging time as one for psychological growth, when we learn to have boundaries and be disciplined, and to listen to others.  

The best intentions

Hard as it is to believe at times, the role of government in western democracies is overwhelmingly concerned with the welfare of the vulnerable: the sick, the elderly, migrants and the oppressed. Politicians don’t want to create any more vulnerable people: most of them are genuinely well-intentioned and hope for the good of others. So politicians are not out to negatively impact our mental health - certainly not deliberately at least, though of course policies can have unintended consequences. Realising this may help us engage with politics in a more mentally healthy way. After all, achieving change and progress as a group is a profoundly satisfying human instinct. But it is as complex today as it has always been! 

Talk talk talk

If you are feeling overwhelmed or confused by politics, as we can all feel at times, keep talking. Try to understand the perspective of those who don’t agree with you. You could try and adopt the attitude that other people’s views can be more interesting than our own. We can learn from others. Everyone is equal: denigrating others returns us to an earlier, less tolerant time. Check your own privilege, try and nourish your own sense of acceptance and remember that we have two ears and one mouth: try and listen twice as much as we talk. If only more politicians themselves would remember this…! 

I hope these help in some way and I’m always keen to hear your thoughts - let me know over on Twitter @RachelKellyNet